]]>Dr. Jill BidenWhite HouseHigher EducationCollege AffordabilityEducationBaltimoreCraig HueyJames GleesonJames M. GleesonJill BidenJoeMarylandFri, 20 Feb 2015 18:04:43 +0000James Gleeson322901 at http://www.whitehouse.govThree Letters to the President: We Need to Invest in Our Schools and Teachershttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/02/20/three-letters-president-we-need-invest-our-schools-and-teachers
Every day, the White House receives tens of thousands of letters, faxes, and emails from Americans across the country. Garrett, Tamika, and Cheryl are three of those letter-writers. These are their stories.

Every student in this country, regardless of their economic circumstance, deserves the opportunity to rise as far as their hard work and initiative will take them.

Right now, there is a piece of legislation advancing through the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 5) that would cement recent education cuts -- taking funding from the schools that need it most, and giving it to some of the nation's wealthiest districts.

Millions of Americans across the country have a very real stake in the resources that go toward paying our teachers, improving our students' curriculums, and making sure our schools have the resources they need.

Tamika, Garrett, and Cheryl are three of those Americans, and they wrote the President to share their stories.

From sea to shining sea, our country is home to gorgeous landscapes, vibrant waterways, and historic treasures that all Americans can enjoy. But right now, young people are spending more time in front of screens than outside, and that means they are missing out on valuable opportunities to explore, learn, and play in the spectacular outdoor places that belong to all of them.

President Obama is committed to giving every kid the chance to explore America’s great outdoors and unique history. That’s why today he launched the Every Kid in a Park initiative, which calls on each of our agencies to help get all children to visit and enjoy the outdoors and inspire a new generation of Americans to experience their country’s unrivaled public lands and waters. Starting in September, every fourth-grader in the nation will receive an “Every Kid in a Park” pass that’s good for free admission to all of America’s federal lands and waters -- for them and their families -- for a full year.

President Barack Obama tapes the Weekly Address in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.
January 30, 2015.
(Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

In this week’s address, the President laid out his plan to ensure more children graduate from school fully prepared for college and a career.

Our elementary and secondary schools are doing better, as demonstrated by the news this past week that our high school graduation rate has hit an all-time high, but there is still more that can be done to ensure every child receives a quality education. That’s why the President wants to replace No Child Left Behind with a new law that addresses the overuse of standardized tests, makes a real investment in preschool, and gives every kid a fair shot at success.

He reminded everyone that when educating our kids, the future of our nation, we shouldn’t accept anything less than the best.

]]>The PresidentWhite HouseWeekly AddressHigher EducationEducationBarack ObamaDavid HudsonLawrence JacksonLindsay HolstObama TapesTanya SomanaderUnited StatesSat, 14 Feb 2015 11:00:00 +0000<a href="/blog/author/David Hudson" class="author-name">David Hudson</a>322221 at http://www.whitehouse.govThe School Districts You Don't See on This Map Are as Telling as the Ones You Do See:http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/02/13/school-districts-you-dont-see-map-tell-much-story-ones-you-do-see
Right now, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are advancing legislation (H.R. 5) that would cement recent education cuts — taking funding from the schools that need it most and giving it to some of the nation’s wealthiest districts.

This approach is backwards, and our teachers and kids deserve better.

Today, the President's Domestic Policy Council released a report breaking down the harmful effects of that legislation, and underlining the fundamental importance of dedicated funding for low-income students. You can read that report here.

Here are the top 100 school districts that would see their funding cut:

And keep in mind what that funding could have gone toward: Hiring teachers, school nurses, counselors, or reading specialists. It could help pay for books and supplies — perhaps for a new curriculum. See what passage of the harmful cuts in H.R. 5 could mean to a district near you.

In June 2013, I joined the President in Mooresville, NC, to launch ConnectED – an initiative to close the technology gap in our schools and bring high-speed Internet to 99 percent of America’s students within five years. This vision – that all students should have access to world-class digital learning – is well on its way to becoming a reality.

Thanks to the leadership of the President and the FCC, the resources are in place to meet the President’s connectivity goal. In addition, various private-sector partners are making over $2 billion worth of resources available to students, teachers, and schools. These include tablets, mobile broadband, software, and online teacher professional development courses from top universities. Fewer than 40 percent of public schools currently have the high-speed Internet needed to support modern digital learning.

But now we have the resources to solve this problem. We just need help from our nation’s superintendents and school technology chiefs.

]]>White HouseEducationTechnologyArne DuncanIowaMooresvilleNorth CarolinaTennesseeUnited StatesThu, 12 Feb 2015 16:14:42 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Secretary Arne Duncan" class="author-name">Secretary Arne Duncan</a>321971 at http://www.whitehouse.govDr. Jill Biden: “This Is the Moment for Community Colleges to Shine”http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/02/11/dr-jill-biden-moment-community-colleges-shine
This morning, Dr. Jill Biden delivered remarks at the 2015 Community College National Legislative Summit to highlight the Administration's commitment to community colleges and their importance to America’s future. This event was hosted by the Association of Community College Trustees with the American Association of Community Colleges.

Following Michael Brown’s tragic death, people across the country — and the world — have grieved together and engaged in critical conversations about race and community relationships. When President Barack Obama hosted a dialogue in December with young people on the issues in Ferguson, Missouri, I asked the youngest members of the Ferguson commission how I could be helpful. They asked me to visit Ferguson — to listen to the stories of the people who live there — because youth, in particular, were hurting.

I listened. Recently, I traveled to Ferguson. I visited the Clyde C. Miller Career Academy High School, Grandview High School, Ferguson library and the Greater St. Mark Family Church to meet with students, educators and community leaders to hear their thoughts on race, equity and trust since Brown’s death.

First Lady Michelle Obama and actor and singer Connie Britton, right, applaud as Counselor of the Year Cory Notestine, a school counselor at Alamosa High School in Alamosa, Colo., delivers remarks during the Counselor of the Year event in the East Room of the White House, Jan. 30, 2015.
(Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

Today, First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher initiative closed out the week with a very special thank you to some of the hardest-working, caring, and critically important adults charged with putting young people on the path to college: America’s school counselors.

In collaboration with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), the White House, for the first time ever, hosted the Counselor of the Year Ceremony. The First Lady, along with television star Connie Britton, spoke in the East Room to honor the 36 finalists and semi-finalists, and 2015 School Counselor of the Year, Cory Notestine.

This past July, when the First Lady spoke at the ASCA Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, she declared that “school counseling is a necessity to ensure that all our young people get the education they need to succeed in today’s economy.” She also promised to bring the Counselor of the Year Ceremony to the White House – and this afternoon, that promise became a reality.

]]>White HouseReach HigherEducationAlamosaAmanda LucidonBarack ObamaColoradoConnie BrittonCory NotestineEric WaldoFloridaMichelle ObamaOrlandoTami TaylorUnited StatesFri, 30 Jan 2015 21:14:02 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Eric Waldo" class="author-name">Eric Waldo</a>319986 at http://www.whitehouse.govThe White House Recognizes HBCU Leaders Who Are Champions of Change for Advancing College Completion Among African American Studentshttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/30/white-house-recognizes-hbcu-leaders-who-are-champions-change-advancing-college-compl
This Black History Month, the White House will recognize faculty and staff members at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that drive the college completion agenda. These leaders work with students, families, higher education leaders, and policymakers to build paths to graduation.

To reach President Obama’s goal of helping our nation lead the world in college completion by 2020, we must ensure that more African American students graduate from college. Currently, the college graduation rate for African American students is 34.3 percent, compared to 47.1 percent for Asian students, 46.2 percent for white students, and 41.05 percent for Hispanic students (National Center for Education Statistics, 2015).

HBCUs meet the challenge. Innovative strategies and visionary leadership can advance college completion among African American students. For more than a century, HBCUs have been exemplars in producing African American college graduates who lead their fields. A recent report from the National Science Foundation revealed that 21 of the top 50 institutions for producing African American graduates who go on to receive their doctorates in Science and Engineering (S&E) are HBCUs. In total, between 2002 and 2011 among the top 50 institutions, HBCUs collectively produced 1,819 African American graduates who earned a doctorate in S&E, predominately white institutions produced 1,600, and foreign institutions produced 798.

]]>EducationAfrican AmericanAlabamaFloridaHeather FosterMichelle ObamaNorth CarolinaTennesseeUnited StatesWashington, D.C.Champions of ChangeFri, 30 Jan 2015 15:14:53 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Heather Foster" class="author-name">Heather Foster</a>319916 at http://www.whitehouse.govBehind the Budget: The Education Program Examinershttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/28/behind-budget-education-program-examiners
"Behind the Budget" is a series of posts featuring audio stories from staffers from across the Office of Management and Budget, discussing aspects of the budget process that most Americans don't get to see.

Tucked away in a series of offices in the New Executive Office Building are a group of program examiners who have been helping to develop the budget for months. That means wrangling and sorting through the many ideas brought to the table -- from agencies, from other White House offices, and from the Office of Management and Budget itself. A key part of this year's budget is the investments in both higher and early education. Listen to two examiners in this area describe their role in the budget process.

Yesterday, President Obama traveled to Boise State University in Idaho -- his first time in the Gem State. Here's why:

For six years, President Obama and the American people have been working hard to lay a new, stronger foundation for our economy -- one that's based on what works: middle-class economics. That means building an economy on the idea that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot and can feel more secure in a world of constant change.

A key part of that is ensuring that millions of hardworking Americans have the chance to earn the higher-paying jobs of the future -- in coding, nursing, and robotics. That's why, in his State of the Union address, the President called on businesses to take the lead on helping their employees upgrade their skills without having to upheave their lives to do it.

That's why the President stopped in Idaho. He's calling on businesses across the country to "Upskill America" -- to help workers of all ages earn a shot at better, high-paying jobs, even if they don't have higher education.

This is a pretty big deal:

Each year, the President typically spends the days following a State of the Union address answering questions and elaborating on the plans he's laid out for the year. That can mean interviews with reporters, speeches across the country, or even chatting with folks from their homes.

But because we're constantly looking for ways to reach folks we don't usually get to talk to, today we're doing something different:

We've invited three of YouTube's top content creators to the White House to interview the President about the issues they -- and their audiences -- care most about.

]]>The PresidentWhite HouseHigher EducationJobsCollege AffordabilityEconomyEducationEnergy and EnvironmentState of the UnionBethany MotaHank GreenJohnLindsay HolstThu, 22 Jan 2015 16:02:42 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Lindsay Holst" class="author-name">Lindsay Holst</a>318296 at http://www.whitehouse.govMicrobes, Apps, and Backflips-in-Space at 3rd Annual White House “State of STEM” Event for Kidshttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/22/microbes-apps-and-backflips-space-3rd-annual-white-house-state-stem-event-kids
Yesterday, the U.S. Chief Technology Officer, Megan Smith, kicked off an afternoon of conversation between senior Obama-Administration scientists and technologists, outside innovators, and one of the toughest, most inquisitive audiences that could be conjured: DC-area elementary, middle, and high-school students.

United States Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Megan Smith answers questions from kid reporters prior to the annual White House State of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (SoSTEM) address, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015, in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

CTO Smith launched the event by recapping the multitude of science and technology references in the prior evening’s State of the Union Address—including STEM education, climate change, tech-skills, and space exploration, to name a few. She then shared a personal account of the beauty of being a techie in public service, and the importance of bringing all of America’s talent to the table when it comes to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers – especially including women and minorities.

Next, NASA Administrator (and former astronaut… and former Marine) Charlie Bolden took the stage, revving the kids up for a special surprise: a live video Q&A with astronauts currently in space aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Students eagerly lined up to ask about life in zero-gravity, how the astronauts got their awesome jobs, and even what the weather’s like up in space. (Captain Barry "Butch" Wilmore half-joked that the weather is “consistently clear” aboard the ISS, just one of the many perks of his job.) Wilmore was joined by Colonel Terry Virts, and Captain Samantha Cristoforett, who answered students’ questions one-by-one, all while sporadically flipping upside down in their gravity-free environment.

Rebekah Erler is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union Address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. Eastern at WH.gov/SOTU.

Rebekah Erler

Rebekah Erler is a 36-year-old working wife and mother of two young boys.

Her family was hit hard by the economic downturn in the housing market when her husband's construction business went under.

A move from Seattle to Minneapolis and several difficult jobs later, Rebekah's husband is now back at work in the re-modeling industry. After taking out student loans to attend a local community college for career re-training, Rebekah has returned to the workforce as an accountant.

They recently purchased their first home.

Rebekah wrote the President last March to share what her family had been through together -- and to detail the rising cost of doing right for her family, from groceries to student loan payments to child care.

Her story is one shared by millions of American families, and helps show that too many middle-class families with two working parents are still stretched too thin.

Read more about the day the President spent with Rebekah in Minneapolis this past summer.

]]>The First LadyHigher EducationJobsCollege AffordabilityEconomyEducationState of the UnionWorking FamiliesLindsay HolstMinneapolisRebekah Erler
RebekahRebekah Erler
RebekahRebekah ErlerSeattleMon, 19 Jan 2015 12:15:00 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Lindsay Holst" class="author-name">Lindsay Holst</a>317681 at http://www.whitehouse.govMeet Nicole Hernandez Hammer, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Unionhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/19/meet-nicole-hernandez-hammer-guest-first-lady-state-union

Nicole Hernandez Hammer is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union Address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. Eastern at WH.gov/SOTU.

Nicole Hernandez Hammer

As a sea-level researcher, Nicole Hernandez Hammer has studied how the cities and regions most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and sea-level rise also have large Hispanic populations -- something she learned firsthand growing up in South Florida

A Guatemalan immigrant with Cuban heritage, today Nicole works to mobilize the Latino community to better understand and address climate change's disproportionate effects on the health of Hispanics.

Most recently, that means working with Moms Clean Air Force to increase public awareness of climate change on children's health specifically.

]]>The First LadyHigher EducationJobsCollege AffordabilityEconomyEducationState of the UnionWorking FamiliesFloridaLindsay HolstMinneapolisNicole HernandezNicole Hernandez HammerRebekah ErlerSeattleSouth Floridasoutheast FloridaMon, 19 Jan 2015 12:15:00 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Lindsay Holst" class="author-name">Lindsay Holst</a>317696 at http://www.whitehouse.govMeet Tiairris Woodward, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Unionhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/19/meet-tiairris-woodward-guest-first-lady-state-union

Tiairris Woodward is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union Address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. Eastern at WH.gov/SOTU.

Tiairris Woodward

Tiairris Woodward, a 43-year-old mom from Harrison, Michigan, took on a second full-time job at Chrysler in 2010 after she found that she couldn't support herself and her three children -- the youngest of whom has special needs -- as an employee of her local school system.

After working 17-hour days across two jobs for some time, Tiairris was able to move solely to her Chrysler assembly line position -- a job that makes her a member of United Auto Workers Local 7. Within a year, she'd saved enough to buy a car and rent a new apartment. Today, she's pursuing her bachelor's degree in business management through Chrysler's Tuition Assistance Program -- and it was all possible because Detroit and the American auto industry came back.

The President is focused on ensuring more Americans like Tiairris, and not just a fortunate few, are able to feel the benefits of our American resurgence.

]]>The First LadyHigher EducationJobsCollege AffordabilityEconomyEducationState of the UnionWorking FamiliesDetroitFloridaHarrisonLindsay HolstMichiganMinneapolisNicole HernandezNicole Hernandez HammerRebekah ErlerSeattleSouth Floridasoutheast FloridaTiairris WoodwardMon, 19 Jan 2015 12:15:00 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Lindsay Holst" class="author-name">Lindsay Holst</a>317701 at http://www.whitehouse.govMeet Astrid Muhammad, a Guest of the First Lady at the State of the Unionhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/18/meet-astrid-muhammad-guest-first-lady-state-union

Astrid Muhammad is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union Address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. Eastern at WH.gov/SOTU.

Astrid Muhammed

"I am a wife and mother to two young children, ages six and ten. I am recovering and alive because I had insurance."

Astrid Muhammad, 39, wasn't insured at the time of her brain tumor diagnosis in May of 2013 -- and her necessary treatment ended up being delayed as a result. But it could have been far worse:

Prior to the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies could have refused treatment for her pre-existing tumor altogether. That didn't happen. Last year, Astrid enrolled in insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace with the help of an authorized BlueCross/BlueShield agent. And on August 28, fully insured, she had the surgery she needed to remove her tumor -- a surgery her neurosurgeon confirmed saved her life. All of her medical bills have been covered thanks to her insurance.

In a letter she wrote to the President in November of this past year, Astrid shared her gratitude and new lease on life, writing that she would love to shake his hand and thank him.

Captain Phillip C. Tingirides is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union Address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. Eastern at WH.gov/SOTU.

Captain Phillip C. Tingirides

Once a hotbed of crime since its eponymous race riots of 1965 and a surge of gang violence in the 1990s, the Watts neighborhood of South Los Angeles has seen a 50 percent reduction in violent crime in recent years.

That's thanks in large part to the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) -- a program that Captain Phillip C. Tingirides, a 35-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, is spearheading. The CSP facilitates cooperation between the police department and Watts housing development residents scarred from decades of distrust -- including encouraging dialogue at community meetings with police who personally engage with residents.

Captain Tingirides and his wife, LAPD Sergeant Emada Tingirides -- who serves as LAPD coordinator of the CSP program, have six children together.

]]>The First LadyHigher EducationJobsCollege AffordabilityEconomyEducationState of the UnionWorking FamiliesAstrid MuhammadAstrid MuhammedDetroitEmada TingiridesFloridaHarrisonLindsay HolstLos AngelesMichiganMinneapolisNicole HernandezNicole Hernandez HammerPhillip C. Tingirides
OncePhillip C. TingiridesRebekah ErlerSeattleSouth Floridasoutheast FloridaMon, 19 Jan 2015 12:15:00 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Lindsay Holst" class="author-name">Lindsay Holst</a>317711 at http://www.whitehouse.govEmail from Vice President Joe Biden: "The State of the Union"http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/17/vice-president-joe-biden-state-union
Last night, Vice President Joe Biden sent a message to the White House email list, letting readers know that the very best place to watch the State of the Union is at WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.

We're heading to the Capitol this Tuesday, where President Obama will deliver his sixth State of the Union address since taking office in 2009.

Now, the idea of the State of the Union is as old as this nation itself -- it's literally written into the Constitution.

But new technologies have transformed the address from a simple letter to Congress into something that was broadcast over the radio and then over the television -- and the Founding Fathers wouldn't believe how folks are able to watch the speech today.

]]>The PresidentThe Vice PresidentWhite HouseHigher EducationCollege AffordabilityEducationState of the UnionJoe BidenLindsay HolstSat, 17 Jan 2015 18:10:10 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Lindsay Holst" class="author-name">Lindsay Holst</a>317596 at http://www.whitehouse.govFront and Center: Bringing Marginalized Girls into Focus in STEM and CTE Educationhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/16/front-and-center-bringing-marginalized-girls-focus-stem-and-cte-education
President Obama believes in the innate curiosity of every child, and our responsibility to ensure that every young woman and girl has the opportunity to achieve her dreams, regardless of what zip code she is born in.

This week, as part of the President’s commitment to equal opportunity for all students, the White House Domestic Policy Council and the Council on Women and Girls, the Department of Education, and the Georgetown University Law Center on Poverty and Inequality highlighted programs that focus on developing the talent of girls of color and low-income girls in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and career technical education (CTE) careers. We heard from the educators, innovators, researchers, scientists, and marginalized girls themselves who are dedicated to increasing the participation of low-income girls and girls of color in post-secondary education and in-demand careers within high-growth industry sectors.

]]>White HouseEducationWomenAlaskaValerie JarrettFri, 16 Jan 2015 23:27:32 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Valerie Jarrett" class="author-name">Valerie Jarrett</a>317466 at http://www.whitehouse.govAn Education Law that Ensures Opportunity for All Students http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/13/education-law-ensures-opportunity-all-students
Nearly 50 years ago, President Johnson signed the first major piece of legislation to support disadvantaged students in America’s public schools: the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The passage of that law was significant in that it focused, in President Johnson’s words, on both the “quality and equality in schooling that we offer our young people.” For 50 years, the law has persistently focused on expanding and protecting educational opportunity.

As Congress readies itself to rewrite that law -- which is today the No Child Left Behind Act -- it is critical to ensure that this landmark education law maintains its core mandates of quality and equality, while taking on new challenges facing America’s students. Earlier this week, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan put forward a set of principles for this law’s reauthorization that celebrate the progress we have made as a country while recognizing that we have room for further improvement.

]]>White HouseEducationArne DuncanNew YorkRoberto J. RodríguezRoberto RodriguezTue, 13 Jan 2015 17:55:31 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Roberto J. Rodríguez" class="author-name">Roberto J. Rodríguez</a>316776 at http://www.whitehouse.govA New Resource for Bringing Making into Educationhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/12/new-resource-bringing-making-education
The Maker Education Initiative (Maker Ed) was formed in 2012 in response to President Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign. The goal of “Educate to Innovate” is to move American students from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math achievement over the next decade. By building a maker network dedicated to providing creative learning opportunities to youth nationwide, Maker Ed is one of the non-profit organizations that is fostering students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through hands-on and interactive programming and activities.

Making at Keene Public Library, a Maker Corps host site. (Photo by Gail Zachariah, Keene Public Library)

Over the past two years, Maker Ed’s Maker Corps program has worked through 50 host sites in 24 states to reach more than 140,000 children. Their Maker AmeriCorps VISTA program – a collaboration with the Corporation for National and Community Service – currently provides opportunities for students to engage in making in ways that promote creativity, innovation and problem solving in eight communities around the country with an emphasis on reaching youth in high poverty areas.

As part of the commitments made by agencies, non-profit organizations, industry and educational institutions during the 2014 White House Science Fair, Maker Ed announced plans for a free online Resource Library to support educators. I sat down with Trey Lathe, the Executive Director of Maker Ed, to hear more about the recent launch of this new project and how it is helping to broaden participation and engagement in STEM, a focus of last year’s Science Fair.

]]>EducationBarack ObamaBecky FriedBill NyeCaliforniaDale DoughertyDipayan GhoshEric LightnerGail ZachariahLindsay LawlorObama SpeaksOklahomaPennsylvaniaPete SouzaSanta MonicaTom KalilTrey LatheTulsaUnited StatesMon, 12 Jan 2015 17:25:10 +0000Tom Kalil316556 at http://www.whitehouse.govEmail: "Two Years of Community College. For Free."http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/09/email-two-years-community-college-free
This afternoon, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent the following message to the White House email list, highlighting the President's new proposal to make two years of community college free for responsible students.

If every state chooses to implement the President's proposal, it could benefit about 9 million students every year, saving full-time community college students an average of $3,800 in tuition each year. The proposal would allow students to earn the first half of their bachelor's degree, or earn the skills they need in the workforce, all at no cost to them.

The President's proposal has received an overwhelmingly positive response — his video breaking the news has already become our best-performing Facebook post of all time, and the hashtag #FreeCommunityCollege is still trending on Twitter.

]]>The PresidentWhite HouseHigher EducationJobsCollege AffordabilityManufacturingEconomyHousingEducationEnergy and EnvironmentEqual PayHealth CareImmigrationState of the UnionLindsay HolstFri, 09 Jan 2015 23:07:23 +0000<a href="/blog/author/Lindsay Holst" class="author-name">Lindsay Holst</a>316306 at http://www.whitehouse.govWhy Access to Free Community College Mattershttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/09/why-access-free-community-college-matters
America entered the 20th century as the world’s pre-eminent economic power, and in the following decades, it continued to prosper due in large part to its commitment to universal public high school education. We made high school free and universal at a time when other countries called that wasteful, and as a result, we created the most highly skilled workforce in the world. In the 1950s, American teenagers were three times as likely to be in school full-time compared to European teenagers. Unfortunately, we have lost that edge, and today we are struggling to keep up with the education rates of other advanced democracies.

In the 21st century, we need to once again lead the world in providing universal access to education. Today, the Administration announced a proposal that would give every American willing to work for it the opportunity to receive at least two years of education beyond high school for free. This program will create partnerships with states to help them waive tuition at community colleges for students who maintain a minimum GPA and progress towards graduation, cutting in half the cost of a four-year degree for those who continue their studies. It will also improve the quality of community colleges, by strengthening their ability to prepare students for either four-year programs or occupational programs in key fields such as nursing, information technology, and advanced manufacturing.

President Barack Obama, with Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, delivers remarks on college affordability at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, Tenn., Jan. 9, 2015.
(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In our growing global economy, Americans need to have more knowledge and more skills to compete -- by 2020, an estimated 35 percent of job openings will require at least a bachelor's degree, and 30 percent will require some college or an associate's degree. Students should be able to get the knowledge and the skills they need without taking on decades' worth of student debt.

A responsible end to the war in Afghanistan. A historic agreement to combat climate change. A strong pace of job growth that we haven't seen since the 1990s.

Overall, 2014 has offered some great achievements for President Obama and the American people. Join the President's Chief of Staff Denis McDonough in taking a look back at this year's most memorable moments -- then share the memories with your friends and family.